Death toll from Tennessee wildfires increases to 11

Adam Beam and Jonathan Mattise, Associated Press

Updated 10:02 am, Friday, December 2, 2016

Photo: Mark Humphrey, AP

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A burned car sits in a parking lot Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn., after a wildfire swept through the area Monday. Three more bodies were found in the ruins of wildfires that torched hundreds of homes and businesses in the Great Smoky Mountains area, officials said Wednesday. less

A burned car sits in a parking lot Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn., after a wildfire swept through the area Monday. Three more bodies were found in the ruins of wildfires that torched hundreds of ... more

Photo: Mark Humphrey, AP

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A burned car sits in a parking lot Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn., after a wildfire swept through the area Monday. Three more bodies were found in the ruins of wildfires that torched hundreds of homes and businesses in the Great Smoky Mountains area, officials said Wednesday. less

A burned car sits in a parking lot Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn., after a wildfire swept through the area Monday. Three more bodies were found in the ruins of wildfires that torched hundreds of ... more

Photo: Mark Humphrey, AP

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Some walls of a burned-out business remain Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn., after a wildfire swept through the area Monday. Three more bodies were found in the ruins of wildfires that torched hundreds of homes and businesses in the Great Smoky Mountains area, officials said Wednesday. less

Some walls of a burned-out business remain Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn., after a wildfire swept through the area Monday. Three more bodies were found in the ruins of wildfires that torched ... more

Photo: Mark Humphrey, AP

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A swimming pool in a motel complex shows burn marks Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn., after a wildfire swept through the area Monday. Three more bodies were found in the ruins of wildfires that torched hundreds of homes and businesses in the Great Smoky Mountains area, officials said Wednesday. less

A swimming pool in a motel complex shows burn marks Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn., after a wildfire swept through the area Monday. Three more bodies were found in the ruins of wildfires that ... more

Photo: Mark Humphrey, AP

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A burned car sits in a parking lot Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn., after a wildfire swept through the area Monday. Three more bodies were found in the ruins of wildfires that torched hundreds of homes and businesses in the Great Smoky Mountains area, officials said Wednesday. less

A burned car sits in a parking lot Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn., after a wildfire swept through the area Monday. Three more bodies were found in the ruins of wildfires that torched hundreds of ... more

Photo: Mark Humphrey, AP

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Smoke rises from the remains of the Alamo Steak House Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn., after a wildfire swept through the area Monday. Three more bodies were found in the ruins of wildfires that torched hundreds of homes and businesses in the Great Smoky Mountains area, officials said Wednesday. less

Smoke rises from the remains of the Alamo Steak House Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn., after a wildfire swept through the area Monday. Three more bodies were found in the ruins of wildfires that ... more

Photo: Mark Humphrey, AP

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In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, photo, Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner speaks at a news conference in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Werner has taken part in daily briefings for several days standing in front of TV cameras saying "everything is going to be OK," all while he lost the home he built himself along with all seven buildings of the condominium business he owned. less

In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, photo, Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner speaks at a news conference in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Werner has taken part in daily briefings for several days standing in front of TV cameras ... more

Photo: Mark Humphrey, AP

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In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, photo, Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner is interviewed in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Werner has taken part in daily briefings for several days assuring people that the tourist destination city will recover, while also dealing with the fact that he lost the home he built himself along with all seven buildings of the condominium business he owns. less

In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, photo, Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner is interviewed in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Werner has taken part in daily briefings for several days assuring people that the tourist destination ... more

Photo: Mark Humphrey, AP

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In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, photo, Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner is interviewed in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Werner has taken part in daily briefings for several days assuring people that the tourist destination city will recover, while also dealing with the fact that he lost the home he built himself along with all seven buildings of the condominium business he owns. less

In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, photo, Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner is interviewed in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Werner has taken part in daily briefings for several days assuring people that the tourist destination ... more

Photo: Mark Humphrey, AP

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A damaged pool is among the remains of Creek Place Efficiencies after a wildfire in Gatlinburg, Tenn., Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016. Tornadoes that dropped out of the night sky killed several people in two states and injured at least a dozen more early Wednesday, adding to a seemingly biblical onslaught of drought, flood and fire plaguing the South. The storms tore through just as firefighters began to get control of wildfires that killed multiple people and damaged or wiped out more than 700 homes and businesses around the resort town of Gatlinburg. (Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean via AP) less

A damaged pool is among the remains of Creek Place Efficiencies after a wildfire in Gatlinburg, Tenn., Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016. Tornadoes that dropped out of the night sky killed several people in two states ... more

Photo: Andrew Nelles, AP

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Janie Thompson speaks about her financial concerns outside of a temporary shelter in Gatlinburg, Tenn., Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016. Thompson, who works at the McDonalds in Gatlinburg, has been unable to work due to the wildfire that hit the town, and doesn't know when she can return. (Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean via AP) less

Janie Thompson speaks about her financial concerns outside of a temporary shelter in Gatlinburg, Tenn., Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016. Thompson, who works at the McDonalds in Gatlinburg, has been unable to work due ... more

Photo: Andrew Nelles, AP

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Death toll from Tennessee wildfires increases to 11

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GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) — Crews discovered the remains of more people as they searched the rubble of wildfires that torched hundreds of homes and businesses near the Great Smoky Mountains, bringing the death toll to 11, officials said Thursday.

Authorities set up a hotline for people to report missing friends and relatives, and after following up on dozens of leads, they said many of those people had been accounted for. They did not say whether they believe anyone else is still missing or may have died.

"I think it's fair to say that the search is winding down," Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said. "And hopefully we will not find any more."

He said the searches would likely be completed Friday.

Nearly 24 hours of rain on Wednesday helped dampen the wildfires, but fire officials struck a cautious tone, saying people shouldn't have a false sense of security because months of drought have left the ground bone-dry and wildfires can rekindle.

The trouble began Monday when a wildfire, likely caused by a person, spread from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park into the tourist city of Gatlinburg as hurricane-force winds toppled trees and power lines, blowing embers in all directions.

"We had trees going down everywhere, power lines, all those power lines were just like lighting a match because of the extreme drought conditions. So we went from nothing to over 20-plus structure fires in a matter of minutes. And that grew and that grew and that grew," Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller said.

More than 14,000 residents and visitors in Gatlinburg were forced to evacuate, and the typically bustling tourist city has been shuttered ever since. At least 700 buildings in the county have been damaged.

"Gatlinburg is the people; that's what Gatlinburg is. It's not the buildings, it's not the stuff in the buildings," Mayor Mike Werner said. "We're gonna be back better than ever. Just be patient."

Starting Friday, homeowners, business owners, renters and lease holders will be allowed to go see most of their Gatlinburg properties, said City Manager Cindy Cameron Ogle. The city is hoping to open main roads to the general public Wednesday.

There were other signs of recovery. Waters declared that Sevier County was "open for business." In nearby Pigeon Forge, the Comedy House rented an electronic billboard message that said it was open for laughs, and a flyer at a hotel urged guests to check out the scenic Cades Cove loop. "Take a drive and remember what you love about the Smokies!" the flyer said.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Cassius Cash has said the fires were "likely to be human-caused" but he has refused to elaborate, saying only that the investigation continues. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are helping investigate the cause.

About 10,000 acres, or 15 square miles, burned inside the country's most visited national park. Another 6,000 acres were scorched outside of the park.

One of the victims was identified as Alice Hagler. Her son Lyle Wood said his mother and brother lived in a home at Chalet Village in Gatlinburg and she frantically called his brother Monday night because the house had caught fire. The call dropped as Wood's brother raced up the fiery mountain trying to get to his mother. He didn't make it in time.

"My mom was a very warm, loving, personable person. She never met a stranger. She would talk to anybody," Wood said.

Authorities said they were still working to identify the dead and did not release any details about how they were killed.

Three brothers being treated at a Nashville hospital said they had not heard from their parents since they were separated while fleeing the fiery scene during their vacation.

The flames reached the doorstep of Dollywood, the theme park named after Parton, but the park was spared any significant damage and will reopen Friday.

About 240 people stayed overnight in shelters, including Mark Howard, who was flat on his back in the hospital with pneumonia when the wildfires started. He called 911 when he heard his house was consumed.

"I had no insurance. It's a total loss," the 57-year-old owner of a handyman business said.